EVE 6 – Under The Sun Tour (LC Pavilion)

The fast version: Max Collins, Jon Siebels and Tony Fagenson of EVE 6 were excellent, the crowd was friendly and down to earth, and PromoWest Productions takes the cake for nicest venue staff.

The extended version: Walking up to the second floor of the LC Pavilion, I could hardly believe it – I was about to meet one of my favorite bands. The four ladies who were also meeting the gang were super excited too – there was an energy in the air, and it was easy to see we were all star struck when we walked into the room where guitarist Jon Siebels and drummer Tony Fagenson were hanging out. Singer and bassist Max Collins walked in the room a few minutes later, and the three performed an exclusive mini acoustic jam session.

They started with Curtain and moved on to At Least We’re Dreaming, Collins keeping rhythm by snapping his fingers and clapping his hands on his legs. It was a pretty surreal experience to be up close and personal with the guys who created Horroscope, one of my all-time favorite albums. They ended the three-song set with Amphetamines, one of the best tracks off that prized record.

This was the first time I had the honor and the privilege of having a photo pass, so I was a jittery mix of nervous and over the moon. After the set, autographs were signed, photos were taken with each VIP guest, and I couldn’t help but geek out over the images in my camera. One VIP guest brought an EVE 6 fan club pack saved from more than 10 years ago! Needless to say the band, as well as the rest of the group, got a kick out of looking through the old memorabilia.

EVE 6 was a blast to hang out with, and the VIP session couldn’t have been hosted in a more intimate setting. It’s definitely an experience I will never forget.

As for the actual Under The Sun Tour, Uncle Kracker played a bunch of songs that the audience members seemed to adore as they sung along to every verse. EVE 6 was originally scheduled to open the show, but ended up playing second, allowing them to tack on another few songs. I definitely wasn’t complaining.

With my coveted photo pass, I was in the pit for the first three, shooting Collins, Siebels and Fagenson as they jumped around and rocked out classic hits. I’d like to think that I managed to capture the personality of each bandmate; out of the countless photos I took, I specifically chose to upload the ones I did because I think each one fits the character I saw while up in the VIP room.

Memorable songs from the show include Open Road Song, B.F.G.F., On The Roof Again, Think Twice, and Here’s To The Night. They closed with an audience-frenzied Inside Out.

After EVE 6, Better Than Ezra took the stage, and I watched with some new friends in the back of the venue. If you’ve never been to the LC Pavilion, I urge you to check it out. It’s a beautiful place that can cater to both indoor and outdoor shows, and there really isn’t a bad view no matter where you are sitting/standing.

Better Than Ezra played a charismatic show and at one point had over 20 audience members (at singer Kevin Griffin’s request, all girls) on stage with them in one big dance party. They played my favorite BTE song, Misunderstood, and happened to end the set with another one of my favorite love songs of all time, a cover of Just Like Heaven by The Cure.

I didn’t stay for Sugar Ray, the headliner, as I had some pressing plans with my Columbus buddies, but all in all it was a mind-blowing experience, a fantastic show, and I blew $100 on shirts, if that’s any indication of how much I want to remember the night.